PoshPinay

Nothing says “RELAX” better than a spa and if that’s what you’re looking for its one of the very many things you can easily find at Boracay, so easy in fact that most of the time you don’t even have to go looking for it.

A typical Boracay spa can be you, the masseur, and a towel on the beach or for a considerable sum of money it can be as luxurious as an exotic message, a milk bath with rose petals and four walls. Of course there’s always something in the middle of any two extremes but I was also looking for something I’ve never experienced before.

… And like a heaven-sent I found Fotzee’s Foot Spa. I was just perfect at the time, being that my vacation was nearing it’s end I needed a way to relieve my feet of the stress (and sand) from all the walking -PLUS! my never experienced before experience.

The Pinay-French owner of Fotzee’s has recently added Dr. Fish to their menu of services (March 09). Garra rufa, better known as Dr. Fish, are imported all the way from Turkey to her trendy little foot spa in Boracay. I remembered watching a documentary a couple years back on how they provided relief from psoriasis, apparently they have since been used for other purposes too. The fascinating thing about these little dermatologists is that they only feed on areas with dead skin therefore allowing the healthy to grow. If we follow this logic, this means that most of the dead skin cells were on my ankles cuz the jumbo  nibbler shown at the bottom left picture would not let up!

Not to sound like such a girl but I sorta freaked when I saw that a couple fishes were bigger than what I thought them to be, they’re usually no bigger than my finger when shown on the boob tube. It takes some getting used to, you have to fight the urge to jump up and squeal at first but after that you start to enjoy the gentle nibbling on your feet.

After a 30 minute soak in the aquarium it’s off to these fancily decorated chairs for a soothing foot scrub.

Other than Footzee’s, I heard they had these fished at Manila Ocean Park too where you can soak with the nibblers for only Php120.00.

Foot Scrub and Dr. Fish -Php1,2000.00
Dr. Fish (30min) -Php550.00

Footzee’s Boracay Foot Spa
Boat Station 2, D’Mall,
Boracay Island
Malay Aklan, Philippines
Tel. No. (+6336) 288-4264

I chanced upon Je Pun Pali Spa while roaming the infinite grounds of the Mall of Asia before I went on week long vacation. With my new found interest in spas, I took notice of the establishment. I went inside to ask for a list of their services and prices and found the most exciting thing someone like me could ever find…

Hot Tea Anyone?

Je Pun Pali Spa has a Morning Bliss promotion where ALL services are 50% OFF every Mondays-Fridays 10am-1pm until June 20, 2009.  It was unfortunately a Saturday when I was there so I made sure to come back on a weekday to try them out. I made reservations on a Monday night and was back the next morning.

Je Puna Pali spa at the Mall Of Asia, out of all the spas I’ve been to, is the most considerate in terms of customer’s privacy. Unlike the other spas I’ve been to where the massage room is  communal, at Je Pun Pali you can unwind, relax, and enjoy your massage behind the closed doors  of your own room. The only thing I disliked is the fact that you are limited to only 15 minutes in the sauna.

Picture taking is strictly prohibited so I literally took stolen shots when I was left alone.

I had an errand to run so I only had time for an uncomplicated treatment. I went with the Balinese massage, it was the most expensive traditional therapy on the list and since its 50% off.. what the heck right?! hahaha. All I can say is that it was a very luxurious experience. The oil used on me had a hint of rose scent and was heated with a candle, kinda like what you do with aroma therapy oils, before it was applied.

Oil stain on the picture are from teh lotion applied to your feet before the pedicure

This is the chair where I had my pedicure after my massage. I’ve never had a pedicure sitting on a lazyboy before but I’m sure it’’s something I can get used to.

Chairs are separated with curtains for added privacy.

The total wallet damage for my massage and pedicure? Only Php540.00!

I was trying to be adventurous by trying a color I normally wouldn't

jePun Pali inspired by RELAKSASI
Mall Of Asia
Ground Floor -South Wing
Beside Gonuts Donuts
Call 556-2315 for reservations.

Since they don’t have an official website.. here is the list of their services and corresponding prices in Php:

Body Scrubs & Wraps Rituals

Javanese Lurlur w/Wrap        …………………….. 950
Balinese Boren w/Wrap         ……………………… 950
Black Borneo Lulur w/Wrap    …………………….. 950
Chocolate Scrub & Wrap        …………………….. 1000
Sand Peeling                      ……………………………. 890
Whitening Body Mask           ………………………. 940
Honey Milk Mask w/Milk Bath ………………….. 1045
Honey Milk Mas                   …………………………. 600

Body Message & Scrubs

Javanese Lulur Massage Salt & Oil     ………….. 1,050
Balinese Boreh Massage Salt & Oil      ………….. 1,050
Black Borneo Lulur Massage Salt & Oil ……….. 1,050

Herbal Steam Bath

Milk Bath                              …………………………… 600
Rajah Herbal Bath (for men)    …………………… 500
Ratu Herbal Bath (for women) ………………….. 600
Sedative Herbal Bath & Steam  ………………….. 600

Traditional Holistic Therapies

Balinese Massage          ………………………………. 850
Ayuverda Massage       ………………………………. 850
Tuina Massage                ………………………………. 600
Swedish Massage           ………………………………. 600
Shiatsu Massage             ………………………………. 600
Combination Massage ………………………………. 600
Hilot Massage                 ………………………………. 750
Thai Massage                  ………………………………. 695

Contemporary Holistic Therapies

Stone Massage                        …………………………. 900
Cellulite Massage                   …………………………. 850
Head & Back Massage           …………………………. 375
Infant/Child Massage           ………………………… 400
Pregnancy Massage               ………………………… 850
Hand & Foot Reflex                ………………………… 450
Ear Cuddling                              ………………………… 650
Chocolate Waxing starts at …………………………. 500

Facials

Lemon Grass Facial       ……………………………….. 850
Rose Petal Facial             ……………………………….. 850
Pearl Whitening Facial ………………………………… 850
Coconun Facial                ………………………………… 850
Volcanic Facial                ………………………………… 850
Diamond Peel                   ………………………………… 950
w/Facial Mask                  ………………………………… 1650

Hand Pampering

Chocolate Paraffin ………………………………………. 400
Manicure                   ………………………………………. starts at 150

Foot Therapy

Foot Massage (w/ free back & head massage) …… 30 min- 395
                                                                    1 hour- 750
Foot Spa …………………………………………………….. 380
Orange Paraffin ……………………………………………. 550
Pedicure ……………………………………………………… starts at 165

Look what I got my hands on.. This, my beloved readers, is my new favorite thing… the most wonderful-lest and the greatest all in one cosmetic thingy magig you will ever find. Your guaranteed great mileage with a tube of NARS The Multiple.

The NARS Multiple is an all in one solution for you eyes, cheeks, lips and body. With the different shades available you can get glamorous highlights and accents no matter the skin tone.  So far, I have liked using The Multiple because of the oil free formula (I’m big on oil free anything.)

The one I got is Nars The Multiple in Palm Beach. This is a brown shade with a semi matte finish that can be used as a bronzer for a sun kissed glow. It’s a great shade for morenas and if applied properly on the fair skin, will give you a savaged california tan. I plan on getting  myself the South Beach shade as well, this is a lighter variation and it looks like it applies sheer. I want something I can use as a blush, Palm beach is a bit too dark for my skin tone to pass as an every day blush on so I thought to try the next shade up, lucky for me South Beach is sold at Cosme-de.com!!

Nars The Multiple is available in 12 shades; Cannes, Maui, South Beach, Copacabana, Palm Beach, St Barts, Maldives, Portofino, Mistyque. Click here to see what they look like.

In my endeavour to try out all the spas i can manage, I cut work short last night to visit a Bioessence spa at Greenhills . Their services include treatments you’d typically find at the sort of establishment. You can get anything from skin treatments and facials that you can enjoy with a foot and hand spa, to a  body massage, slimming treatment (yes ladies.. SLIMMING!), and the very intriguing Queen of Sheba’s Milk Bath, and that’s to only mention a few of their services.

Bioessence offers free consultations with a specialist so you can figure out which of their several treatments best suit your needs. I would’ve gone for Sheba’s bath just for the luxurious experience of soaking in milk but it was unfortunately unavailable at this particular branch. Since I already get massages on a regular basis and I always complain about the crater sized pores on my nose, I went for a much needed facial. A visit to a derm clinic was long over due for me anyways.

I was pampered with Bioessence’s Purifying facial which was recommended by their specialist during my pre-treatment consultation where she had me stick my head in a box like contraption so I could see where my problem areas were. To no surprise it was the pores on my nose and the rest of my T-zone.. unsightly. My face was first cleansed and an antibacterial mask was applied and then steamed prior to the pricking and extraction of the gunk that clogged my pores. Then Anne, the very polite young lady who did my facial, applied another mask that helped alleviate the redness and swelling as well as to close my oh so wide open pores.

Aside from the of services they offer, Bioessence is also the only establishment carries Oxygen - a range of  skin care products that  imported from Canada.

All in all I give give them a 10 for great services, friendly people, knowledgeable staff, and a clean establishment. They are very attentive to each customer’s needs and made sure that I was comfortable. You can visit their website here for a complete list of services.

Bioessence -skin, slimming, spa,
2/F Fox Square Building
Connecticut Drive
Greenhills
722-0775/722-0658

Photo Credit to Style and Relax

Related Post:

Wensha Spa
Urban Escape Day Spa

I eventually got the chance to try out my mother’s regular spa. Urban Escape Day Spa is at the second floor of the building but the pungent aroma of peppermint oil immediately found my nose at the ground floor while entering the elevator (yes.. I took the elevator even though it was just a floor up). Being at the spa so much, my subconscious has started to associated the aroma of peppermint to relaxation (kinda like Ivan Pavlovs classical conditioning experiment), I start feeling muscles relax whenever I smell stuff like that.

Like my experience with other spas, we proceeded to the locker room so we could get into our birthday suits for a quick shower. The Urban Escape spas is a bit more quiet and intimate. With only 4 shower rooms, it was no wonder they were fully booked the first time I was taken there. Their jacuzzi can only accommodate 5 people at most (6 girls if they’re all anorexic.. lol!). While you soak, the attendant gets a glass of iced tea and a bowl of ice ready for when you go into the sauna.

After a couple minutes in the tub I tried out the sauna chamber since they have this laminated sign hung on that wall the says we could only use the tub and sauna for 15 minutes each and because there were other people waiting. I have to say, the sauna could have used a bit more heat -I didn’t even need ice in there! I don’t know if that’s the way it usually is but it wasn’t as hot as you’d expect a sauna chamber to be.

After taking a final shower, I proceeded to what I guess you’d call a waiting area. It was a dimly lit room with sofas, coffee table, and a television. It basically looked like a living room which isn’t a bad thing, it was very homey and relaxing. Their massage room has 17-19 beds or so where you can enjoy a 1 hour shiatsu massage while listening to soothing classical music in a dimmed room. During their slow days they let you sleep after the massage for however long you want.

if you’re out for a more intimate and private pampering session with your girlfriends, go with Urban Escape Day Spa. If you want you can have a place to yourself in their VIP room that can service 2 persons at a time for Php700.00 or sofor females and 3 persons for males. Between 12pm-4pm their prices drop to Php375.00 from Php450.00. The have clean facilities and prompt service and very polite attendants. You can call the establishment for reservations so that you’re secured a slot during peak hours.

Urban Escape Days Spa is your peaceful sanctuary from the stresses of city life
2nd Floor, ESNA Building
30 Timog Avenue, QC 1103
Tel: 373-7877/376-2280

Related Post:

Wensha Spa
Bioessence (Skin-Slimming-Spa)

I’ve found myself making frequent visit to a really great spa along Timog in Quezon City. My mother and I discovered it by accident one day when she visited her usual spa, they were fully booked that days so we couldn’t be accommodated so we went a couple blocks down and tried Wensha.

Since my “real” work and freelance writing keep me busy, I rarely find time for recreational activities or the like, but after my experience at Wensha I miraculously found my schedule clearing itself every Friday afternoon. It’s funny really, but I’ve had nothing to do every Friday for the past couple of months but go to the spa.

Wensha spa has a long list of very affordable services that range from whole body massages, to hand/foot spas, facials , and body scrubs. Their facilities include shower rooms, wet and dry sauna chambers that can  hold up to 15 people at a time, and hot and cold jacuzzi tubs. The great thing about this place is that their services also includes a buffet, no added charges so long as there are no left overs. You can eat your meal before or after or before AND after. I admit to eating twice during one of my visits, I stayed so long that I got hungry by the time I was finished :D.  You can stay for a maximum of 8 hours before overstaying fees are charged.

I usually chill out in the sauna chamber with a tub of ice, store bought scrub salts, and protein treatment for my hair (might as well maximize the utilization of heat in there) after which I soak in the hot tub while watching the flat screedn LCD TV mounted on the wall. Now if I can only find out how to waterproof my iPod…

All in all I spend on an average, if I don’t avail of any extra services, Php680 for the facilities, a full body message, and the food. Of course prices will vary depending on the services you avail. Wensha is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s a great way to spend the day with family and friends and even the little ones (children under 12 get in for only Php250). Wensha Spa can be found at Timog corner Quezon Avenue across the circle theater.

Related Post:

Urban Escape Day Spa
Bioessence (Skin-Slimming-Spa)

Ellana Mineral Foundation (in chai tea latte), Concealer (in cheer), Myra E moisturizer, some eye shimmer and voila!

Ever plunked down hard-earned cash for foundation that caused breakouts or gave you that dreaded two-toned look? Here’s a great discovery: making your own makeup means you can blend shades to perfectly match your skin tone and set coverage level too.

I’m a mineral makeup convert - the benefits of which have been discussed at length all over the net, but if you guys wanna read more about healthy beauty, I recommend this site for their very informative articles. I hadn’t known how a lot of famous brands and conventional makeup is made with harmful ingredients - some are known neurotoxins, others carcinogenic. This made me more discerning about the stuff we put on our faces and how it can harm us in the long run.

Customized mineral foundation- slash- moisturizer

The bad thing about mineral makeup for me is that in powder form, it dried up my skin and emphasized fine lines. So I decided to mix my mineral makeup with moisturizer and it turned out really well! After a few trial runs, I’ve come upon my best formulation: Myra E facial moisturizer which is cheap but effective, and a combination of Ellana Mineral foundation and concealer powders (check out Ellana’s website for the first Pinoy-made mineral makeup brand and affordable at that!).

Cathy’s before and after pics - btw, I used mineral blush as lipgloss using colorless lipbalm dabbed with mineral blush powder

The great thing about customizing makeup this way is you can buy two or more shades to blend in order to perfectly match your skin tone and you can choose how much of the powder to mix in relation to the moisturizer base to get the coverage you need - the thicker and creamier it is, the heavier your coverage. And for a little shimmer, I added in a pinch of beige glimmer eyeshadow to my customized foundation - awesome, if I say so myself.

Now this is the best part, good foundation can cost an arm and a leg, mine cost me less than five hundred bucks and lasts for 2-3 months with daily use. Customized makeup is kewl!!!

Natural Beauty Remedys

Here are some kitchen-beauty remedies I’ve personally tested and rate highly in terms of effectivity. I’ll go so far as saying they work better than stuff you can buy in the drugstore, so try them out!

Facial scrub: Finely ground coffee and olive oil

A teaspoonful of finely ground coffee (I use Great Taste) mixed with a dash of olive oil makes for a very good exfoliator. The coffee has just the right consistency for sloughing off old skin layers without scratching up your face. And as we all know, olive oil is a great emollient. Read the rest of this entry »

So ever since my hormones took over I started getting all persnickety about odors and I became very particular about deodorants and antiperspirants (yes! there is a difference between the two!!). My all time fave used to be Secret (unscented) until for some reason (don’t know if my olfactory system got damaged or I bought a couple of bad batches..) the unscented, how do I say this eloquently… (dangit! I can’t! ) started getting all scenty ( loling over the choice of words).

I’ve never been too fond of floral or powder scents in deodorants because it only masks the odor. Imagine acrylic paint if you will,apply blue paint on a canvass, then layer on some yellow (that’s your deodorant). You see the yellow paint, but you can see there’s some blue too, now mix that together and what do you get? Green… the color of someone whose getting ready to barf (say.. that was a great innuendo if I do say so myself ). The point that I’m trying to get across is that the end result is a revolting scent. Obviously sour, musty, and floral or powder don’t do so well combined.

It wasn’t only until midway through high school that I found a anti-perspirant that my nose approved of. I found a really great dermatologist, Dr. Edna Talavera Nisce, MD, FPDS,that at the time only held business at LaUnion and Dagupan Pangasinan. It was referred to her by a family member because of a disgusting skin allergy triggered by some sort of parasite I contracted from a public pool , but that’s a different story. So after she cured me of what ever it was that was causing intolerable pruritus I started going to her for my skin care. Long story short I bought the deodorant she sells.

Aluminum Chlorohydrate Deodorant

It’s mainly made up of Aluminum chlorohydrate (I know this “supposedly” absorbed through your skin and thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s disease through a process we can discuss if you want to be lulled to sleep, but we can’t have everything.. and that theory hasn’t been proven ) and is sold in a variety percentages (20%, 30%, 50%). The prices vary according to the percentage amounts. I usually buy the one with 30% aluminum chlorohydrate content and that’s sold for Php115.00. The main ingredient retards your sweat glands (No sweat, no odor!) so obviously you buy the product depending on how much you sweat. The best part about it is that it doesn’t give you the stink effect I was describing above.

Due to her business only operating in the province I used to buy the stuff in bulks. Fortunately for me she’s opened a branch at SM Megamall. Nisce Skin ‘N Face Beauty and Wellness Center can be found at the 5th floor. Like any other establishment of the sort the Beauty and Wellness Center also offers a line of facial treatments that range from Diamond peels to hair removals!

I stumbled upon this product quite by accident, more accurately, due to a little Beauty Bar fiasco I had.

The craziness of that encounter proved to be propituous as the item I randomly picked to buy turned out to be another inexpensive product (Php150) that actually does what its supposed to.

J.R. Watkins Lemon Hand & Cuticle Salve is touted as an all natural cure for scaly hands and unruly, curled up cuticles (I’m prone to this and I have the bad habit of picking or nibbling at them with my teeth which makes it even worse) usually caused by the cold and washing with harsh soaps.

J.R. Watkins Lemon Hand & Cuticle Salve

It comes in a round tin package, smelling sweetly of the natural lemon oil incorportaed into the salve . Once applied, it takes only a few minutes (no kidding!) to notice the difference - skin is softer and recalcitrant cuticles are smoothed over.

My mom was so impressed that she went and bought her own and uses it for her arms and elbows too. Your toes and the soles of your feet would love this product as well (a tip: apply the salve to your feet at night before going to bed and put on some socks to slough off really dry skin). With the onset of colder weather, this product would be a great addition to Christmas goodie bags.